UFO Information - No 17

Magazine Overview

This issue of HEILBRONNER UFO INFORMATION (UI), titled NR.17, is dated MÄRZ 1985 and is part of the 2. Jahrgang. Published by CENAP-HEILBRONN in Germany, the magazine is in German and focuses on UFOs, research, astronomy, and spaceflight. The cover features a graphic of the Earth, the magazine's title, and a map of Germany highlighting key locations.

Table of Contents and Key Articles

The issue includes a "Rückblick 1984" (Review of 1984), a "Leserforum" (Reader Forum), and several feature articles:

"WAS IST EIN UFO ?" (What is a UFO?)

This article clarifies the definition of a UFO, emphasizing that the term originates from American aviation terminology and refers to any flying object that appears strange and cannot be identified by the observer at the time. It explicitly states that the term does not inherently imply extraterrestrial spacecraft, contrary to common misconception.

"RÜCKBLICK 1984" (Review of 1984) by Jochen Ickinger

This section reviews the UFO-related activities and sightings experienced by CENAP-Heilbronn in 1984. Despite a slow start, the latter part of the year saw four sightings being investigated. Two specific cases are detailed:

• FALL "STAMMHEIM" (025/308): A sighting on January 17, 1983 (though reported in 1984) by Claus D. near Stuttgart. A white, luminous, oval object was observed moving, stopping, and then accelerating rapidly. Initial investigation suggested it was not a helicopter or advertising blimp. However, discrepancies were found regarding the witness's statement about the sky conditions and his affiliation with a UFO group, leading to the classification of the sighting as "unreliable."
• FALL "HAGEN" (26/309): A sighting on April 28, 1984, by Lothar K. in Hagen. A fast-moving, disc-shaped object was observed for 2-3 seconds. The article suggests this could have been a meteor, noting that the shape description doesn't exclude this possibility.
• FALL "FILDERSTADT" (27/310): A sighting on May 6, 1983, by Frau Else K. near Filderstadt. A red object with a uniform speed and trajectory was observed moving from left to right at an estimated height of 450. The witness described its disappearance as resembling a time-lapse of the moon. Despite a personal meeting with the witness and a visit to the site, insufficient specific information was gathered to confirm the phenomenon, and the probability of an unknown phenomenon was deemed too low.

"DIE CHRONIK VON AKAKOR - eine FÄLSCHUNG?" (The Chronicle of Akakor - a Forgery?) by Ralf Sonnenberg

This article critically examines Karl Brugger's "Chronicle of Akakor," which gained prominence through Erich von Däniken's work. The chronicle, allegedly narrated by Tatunca Nara, chief of the Ugha Mongulala tribe, describes a history involving white-skinned beings from the "Schwerta" constellation visiting Earth around 13,000 BC and creating an underground tunnel system. The article notes that attempts by Erich von Däniken to investigate these claims in 1977 were thwarted by Tatunca Nara's excuses. The author points out significant textual parallels between the "Akakor Chronicle" and the ancient Indian epic "Mahabharata" (specifically the Rhagavad Gita as retold by Biren Roy), suggesting that the "Chronicle" might be a derivative work or a fabrication. Professor Dr. Ulrich Schneider confirms that Biren Roy's retelling is not a literal translation of the Mahabharata. The article concludes by questioning whether Karl Brugger or Tatunca Nara is responsible for any discrepancies and expresses doubt that serious researchers will pursue the "Chronicle of Akakor" further due to these inaccuracies.

"LIEBE UK LESER!" (Dear Readers!)

This section, signed by Roland Gehardt, addresses reader feedback on the ongoing series "Wie könnten UFOs zu uns kommen?" (How could UFOs come to us?). While some readers suggested omitting complex formulas, the editorial team decided to continue with the existing format, as this series has generated the most reader reactions. The editors encourage readers to share more of their opinions.

Leserforum (Reader Forum)

This section contains letters from readers, including a piece titled "ÜBERTRIEBENE VORWÜRFE GEGEN HESEMANN!" (Exaggerated accusations against Hesemann!) by H.R. Juncker/Geldern. This letter defends Michael Hesemann and Herr von Keviczky against accusations that Hesemann's memorandum aimed to convince the government of the extraterrestrial theory. Juncker argues that both Hesemann and von Keviczky believe UFOs are a danger to international security and advocate for the lifting of secrecy and the establishment of an international investigation bureau at the UN level. The letter also touches upon the issue of alleged fake UFO photos, criticizing Hesemann for not accepting evidence for trick photography, comparing his stance to that of some scientists who overlook important evidence.

Other Sections and Content

• IMPRESSUM: Details the publication information, including editors Roland Gehardt and Jochen Ickinger, publisher CENAP-Heilbronn, and contact address. It also notes that the magazine appears 10 times a year.
• Inhaltsverzeichnis 1984: An index of articles published in the second year of "UFO-INFORMATION" (Heft Nr. 5 - Nr. 14).
• ABHANDLUNGEN & BERICHTE (Treatises & Reports): A list of articles with author and publication issue/page numbers.
• BUCH - TIP (Book Tip): Recommendations for books related to UFOs and unusual phenomena.
• FILM & VIDEO TIP: Recommendations for science fiction films.
• NACHRICHTEN CENAP (CENAP News): News items, including a CENAP UFO meeting.
• PRESSESTIMMEN (Press Opinions): Snippets from various newspapers and magazines regarding UFOs.
• TAGUNGEN (Conferences): Information about upcoming and past UFO-related conferences.
• UNTERSUCHUNGEN (Investigations): A listing of investigative articles.
• ABKÜRZUNGEN (Abbreviations): A glossary of abbreviations used in the magazine.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine maintains a stance of serious UFO research, as indicated by its tagline "DIE SERIÖSE UFO FACHZEITSCHRIFT" (The Serious UFO Fachzeitschrift). It aims to provide factual reporting and analysis of UFO sightings and related phenomena, distinguishing between objective observation and speculative theories. The editorial team encourages reader participation and critical discussion. There is a clear effort to define terms like "UFO" precisely and to investigate sightings with a degree of skepticism, as seen in the Stammheim case analysis. The magazine also engages with broader topics like pre-astronautics and ancient mysteries, though with a critical eye, as demonstrated by the Akakor article.

Title: HEILBRONNER UFO INFORMATION
Issue: 8
Volume: 7
Date: February 1985 (raw: 3. auf den 4. Februar 1985)
Publisher: DIE SERIÖSE UFO FACHZEITSCHRIFT
Country: Germany
Language: German

Wie könnten UFO's zu uns kommen? Teil 8: Physikalische Möglichkeiten der Raumfahrt

This section, authored by Ing. Joachim Jahn, delves into the theoretical physics of achieving high-speed space travel, particularly focusing on the challenges of reaching speeds close to light speed.

1. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen von Raumfahrtantrieben (IV)

Jahn explains that while accelerating at 1g (approximately 10 m/sec²) would theoretically allow one to reach light speed in about a year, the energy and fuel requirements are astronomically high. He calculates that to achieve 98% of light speed with a 1g acceleration and a specific impulse of 98% of c, a propulsion system would need 3,000 kW per gram of the rocket's mass. If the engine constitutes 5% of the rocket's mass, this results in a power-to-mass ratio of 60,000 kW/gram. For comparison, a nuclear reactor has a ratio of 15,000 kW/800 tons. This implies that a 200 kW vehicle engine would need to weigh only 2.5 milligrams.

Even with a hypothetical 1-ton ion thruster capable of generating 60,000 kW, the acceleration would be so low that it would take 2 million years to reach 98% of light speed. An alternative proposed is the 'Ramjet' concept, which would collect interstellar hydrogen for fusion power. Jahn asserts that there are no known ways to circumvent these fundamental laws of nature, even for extraterrestrial intelligences, unless they possess entirely unknown technologies.

The achievable acceleration is directly proportional to the power output, divided by the total mass of the rocket and its exhaust velocity. Current chemical rockets have exhaust velocities of about 5 km/sec. To achieve the necessary acceleration for 1g, this exhaust velocity would need to increase to 300,000 km/sec, a factor of 60,000. Furthermore, the energy requirement increases with the square of the velocity.

To illustrate the scale of energy needed, Jahn provides two examples for a journey to a star 12 light-years away:

• Fusion Drive: A 10-ton spacecraft accelerating to 99% of light speed and decelerating would require 32 billion tons of hydrogen.
• Antimatter-Photon Drive: This would still necessitate 400,000 tons of fuel, equally split between matter and antimatter. He notes that even if large quantities of antimatter could be produced, there is no known terrestrial container for 200,000 tons of it.

2. Interplanetarische Raumfahrt (Interplanetary Spaceflight)

Traveling to planets within our solar system using large, manned, multi-stage chemical rockets would involve long, elliptical trajectories (Homann ellipses) with significant travel and waiting times. Journeys to Venus and Mars, even at speeds of 11.2 to 15 km/sec, would take months for travel and 1-2 years of waiting time for optimal planetary alignment. Journeys to outer planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto would take several years.

Bemannte spacecraft with nuclear propulsion are presented as a potential solution. The US project 'Orion' is mentioned, which uses small atomic bombs ejected from the spacecraft's rear and detonated by timers. The resulting shockwave is absorbed by a shield at the rear, providing thrust. This could achieve speeds of up to 30,000 km/sec (1/10 light speed). A hypothetical fusion drive could potentially reach 60,000 km/sec (1/5 light speed). With such drives, direct travel to nearby planets could take days, and to distant planets weeks, eliminating long waiting times.

However, even with nuclear propulsion, the payload for life support systems for a few crew members would require very large spacecraft, and accelerations would be far below 1g. The acceleration and deceleration phases, with their long time constants, must also be considered. Jahn concludes that current and near-future spaceflight capabilities are likely reaching their limits at this point.

UFO- Flar über Deutschland?

This article by Michael Hahn discusses a widespread UFO sighting event over Germany on the night of February 3-4, 1985. Many people reported seeing UFOs, leading to numerous calls to police stations across Germany and neighboring countries.

Gutes Zeichen: Sternschnuppen über Deutschland

The article explains that the sightings were quickly identified as a meteor shower. The common saying that seeing a shooting star is good luck and a wish will come true is mentioned. The phenomenon involved 180,000 shooting stars per hour, appearing as streaks of light moving at high speeds. Some witnesses described the object as white-green, then flaming yellow, and breaking apart. A doctor from Cologne described a fireball larger than the moon that raced silently across the sky.

"Ufo" am Unterländer Nachthimmel

This report details a specific sighting in the Heilbronn region on a Monday morning. A witness described an object approaching silently from the south and disappearing behind 'Waldheide', noting a 'green shimmering fire trail'. Police in Eppingen and Heilbronn-Böckingen also reported the event. The Heilbronn police forwarded the information to the state police directorate in Stuttgart, which in turn informed the Interior Ministry. The UFO was identified as a meteorite.

Reports of helicopters taking off from Waldheide and US military vehicles leaving a nearby base shortly after the sighting were contradicted by Major Michael Griffon of the 56th Field Artillery Brigade, who stated they were not hunting UFOs.

Air traffic control in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, which track radar targets up to 3,000 meters and 14,000 meters respectively, reported no unusual or uncoordinated entries.

Des Rätsels Lösung: Meteoritenschwarm

Professor Heinz Kaminski, director of the Bochum Observatory, confirmed that the event was a meteor shower moving from south to north. He estimated the height of the meteors at 50-60 kilometers and their speed at approximately 50 kilometers per second. The apparent change in trajectory was attributed to rotating winds affecting the fiery trails. The exact landing location of the meteors was unknown, but likely in North Holland or the North Sea.

Kommentare zu den Bildern

This section provides commentary on photographic evidence of light phenomena, likely UFOs.

1. Photo A vs. Photo B: The light phenomena in both photos are at the same distance, but witnesses generally perceive the phenomenon in Photo A as closer to the photographer. The general rule is that an unknown light phenomenon appears further away when it is behind an object (background).
2. Photo C: The light phenomenon in Photo C is hundreds of meters from the photographer. However, many witnesses would perceive it as being close to the car. Generally, an unknown light phenomenon appears closer the larger it is.
3. Photos D & E: Both phenomena are at the same distance from the photographer. The phenomenon in Photo E appears furthest away simply because it is smaller. Generally, an unknown light phenomenon appears closer the larger it is.

Gray Barker ist Tod!

This brief obituary announces the recent death of Gray Barker, a well-known American UFOlogist. Barker was famous for selling UFO films and was also an author of many articles and books on UFOs, including "Das Buch über Adamski" (The Book About Adamski). He was also the editor of several UFO magazines, such as Saucer News and The Saucerian Bulletin. The article speculates on who will inherit his legacy and continue distributing his films.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on the scientific and physical aspects of UFO phenomena, exploring the possibilities and limitations of space travel. It maintains a serious and objective approach, as indicated by its title "DIE SERIÖSE UFO FACHZEITSCHRIFT" (The Serious UFO Fachzeitschrift). The publication also reports on specific UFO sightings, providing explanations when available (e.g., the German meteor shower). It serves as a platform for research organizations like CENAP and GEP, disseminating their findings and promoting membership. The editorial stance appears to be one of rigorous investigation and a commitment to factual reporting, while acknowledging the public's fascination with the unknown.